Feather In Cap
by grazed fingertips
Summary: 6 years after the war, Draco Malfoy stands on the doorstep of a muggle stately home. Inside sits a woman, the mastermind behind a high society escort service. Her most valued and sought after employee is the one and only Harry Potter, the man Draco will be apprenticed to... Oh what fun they will have. / WORK IN PROGRESS.
1. Chapter 1

The building was old, and incredibly large. He didn't think muggles had buildings like this, whose age and size probably rivaled that of his childhood home. He was still slightly confused as to why people who did such frowned upon things got to live in the lap of luxury. It didn't seem right that sinners got to live in something some might consider a slice of heaven, especially compared to some of the places he'd seen. Some of the places he'd lived in. He smiled ruefully as he slung his bag over his shoulder and continued up the winding gravel drive. Sometimes, he admitted, he was glad he'd done the things he had. Of the path he'd wound up on. Even if it still kept him awake at night 6 years later. It meant he was here now, didn't it?

Eventually he reached the large double doors, arching high above his head in an ominous and powerful mahogany. He tugged on a large rope that hung just to the side of the door and a bell went off somewhere inside, ringing once, twice, three times, loud and clear and pure. He placed his bag by his feet and smoothed down his suit jacket, straightening his tie and brushing a few specks of lint off here and there. He had to look presentable. He had to look the part. He didn't exactly want to admit it, but this was his last chance. His last resort.

The door swung open, and an old man stared at him. His lip curled slightly, and all the man on the doorstep saw was an embodiment Severus Snape.

"Yes? How may I help you?"

"I'm seeking sanctuary." His voice was cool, smooth, calm. Everything he wasn't.

"I see." The older man stepped back, pulling the door open as he went and motioned for him to enter. His footsteps echoed as he did, the spacious hall showcasing the grandeur of the place he was entering. "I'll take you to her now. My name is Daryl. Don't tell me yours. Only inform me of it once you are accepted here." He turned on his heel, closing the door and starting up the stairs, gesturing to follow. They walked for about 5 minutes, every hallway decorated with items of wealth and power and beauty, until they came to a halt outside another set of double doors. Daryl held up a hand, signaling to stop, and after straightening his jacket and smoothing down his own hair, knocked three times before slipping inside. After a few moments he emerged again, and simply said "she'll see you now" before walking back downstairs.

He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly, and pushed open the door. He was met by the smell of honeysuckle and fresh rain. The room was airy and surprisingly bare. Gone were the paintings and statues and displays of wealth. Instead the room was modern in comparison to what he'd seen, which in all honesty resembled a show home or museum.

"Welcome." His eyes snapped to the woman sat behind the desk. "My name is Cornelia. I run this establishment, and I understand that you are our latest recruit." He nodded once. "What is your name?"

"My name is Draco Malfoy."

"Draco. What an interesting name. And what brought you to us, Draco?"

"I didn't have anywhere else to go."

Her lip curled, much like Daryl's had. It was the action of a predator, he decided. What one did when they smelt victory on their part or weakness on the others. "I see. And you decided that this was your only other option?"

"Yes. The only one that I wouldn't…" He shifted, scanning the room, looking anywhere but her. "Be rejected from."

The curled lip turned into a grin, the same predatorial glint in her eye. "So you're aware of your beauty. Of how attractive you are."

"I know that others find me attractive, and that's all that matters."

She rose from her seat and walked around the desk, practically floating as she approached him. She circled him once, twice, humming and making small sounds of approval, before stopping in front of him, squinting as she examined his face. A hand brushed his cheek and he flinched.

"Good. Very good. We'll get you with a trainer immediately. You'll be escorted to your room as soon as he arrives. Today he'll brief you, and tomorrow your proper introduction will begin. Think of yourself as an apprentice of sorts." Draco blinked. He had expected a more… intense interview. Questions and background checks. Muggle things like that. "I know what you're thinking." She'd taken her seat again, "That we're incredibly lax, considering what we do. We're not. You are one of 4 people, maybe even less, that will join us this month. You are scouted for a minimum of half a year before you are approached. Background checks are run, notes are taken, reports made. We do not accept just anyone into our home, Mr Malfoy. Do well to remember that." There was a sharp knock at the door, and Cornelia's face lit up. "Coming darling!" She rose, and hurried across the room, opening the door and laughing. She was a completely different woman.

"Come in! Come in!" She giggled, and Draco heard the door shut. "This is Draco, our latest recruit. Isn't he wonderful?"

"Indeed." A voice that was all too familiar said. Draco turned slowly, not wanting to give anything away. "Hello, Draco. I'm Harry." Green eyes. Black tousled hair. Perfect teeth. An extended hand. All far to reminiscent of first year, except this time the tables had been turned. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

The world slowed for a few minutes. Everything was suspended in mid air, going so very slowly that unless you were privy to the fact that the world, was indeed, still spinning, you wouldn't have noticed at all. And then time caught up again and everything whirled back into focus. Draco reached out, grasping the hand and shaking, nodding to the man.

"Harry has been with us for 5 and a half years now." Cornelia said. "He's one of our best employees. Everybody loves him, even the girls, and they don't do _anything_ for him. That reminds me, we have got your preference right, haven't we?" Draco simply nodded; struck dumb by the fact Potter had been working as a male escort straight off the bat after the war. And that he was really good at it. And liked men. "Well, I think that's everything. Harry will show you to your room, and give you a brief tour of the building, answer any of your questions and just help you get settled. Then tomorrow, your 'lessons' will begin, so to speak. Is that alright with you?" Draco nodded again.

"Thank you." He managed, smiling at her. "So much."

She smiled fondly at him. "You're welcome, darling. I hope you thrive here as much as Harry has. He was such a lost soul when he joined us, and now he's very nearly a picture of perfection."

"Cornelia! Stop it. You feed all the recruits my sob story when they arrive. I don't appreciate being the poster child of this establishment." Apparently only Draco spotted the genuine agitation beneath Potter's amusement, as Cornelia simply laughed, ushering them out into the corridor, saying she had a phone call to make and that they had no time to lose. The door shut, and silence fell over the corridor.

"Well. It's safe to say I never thought I'd see you here, Malfoy."

"The same can be said for you, Potter. This was supposed to be my fresh start."

"As a male escort? Somehow that isn't what I pictured you doing with your life. It went more along the lines of marrying a pureblood and bringing the next generation of 'peroxide blonde git' into the world."

"I saw you marrying into the ginger brood and popping out a few mini heroes."

He made a small sound. "Come on then. Let's get you to your room." He started down the stairs, and when he didn't hear following footsteps he turned. "You coming, Malfoy?"

"Is that it?" Draco asked, disbelief coloring his voice. "No father insults, no punches, no hexes?"

"6 years is a long time, Malfoy. I've grown up. Haven't you?" Harry asked, cocking his head a little. "Anyway, I thought you said this was your fresh start? Remember, nobody knows we know each other. If they did, there's a possibility you'd be booted out. No external relationships are supposed to permeate these walls. If you get close on the inside, that's fine. But bringing human baggage with you is a big no no in Cornelia's books."

"So what, I've got to act like we're just getting to know each other and are in the process of becoming friends?"

"Isn't that what we're actually doing either way?"

He had a point. Draco sighed, grabbing his bag and catching up with Harry. "Lead the way then, Potter."

Harry grinned. "Rule Number One, first names only to avoid suspicion. Okay, Draco?"

Draco sighed dramatically. "Fine. Harry. Better?"

"Much."

"You really are something else."

"Is that a good thing?"

"Yeah. It is."

Harry led them out of the building, and across the garden. The land on the property was huge. Fields and woodland surrounded them, and there wasn't a neighboring house in sight.

"Where exactly are we going?"

"Through here." Harry gestured to the small woodland area in front of them. "Cornelia's main business is running that" he gestured to the main building with his thumb "as a guest or boarding house, we are a secondary project, so to speak. We're for special clientele. Muggle high society, mostly, although there are a few who're lower down the food chain with more expensive taste or some low profile millionaire types."

Draco nodded slowly, the question that had been burning in the back of his head the minute he'd seen the man coming out before he could stop it. "How… How did you end up here, Harry?"

The other man paused, making Draco stumble a little on the uneven woodland floor. He began moving again, words tumbling from his lips, eyes downcast as they carried on. "I didn't want to be a wizard anymore. I wanted to be a regular man, living a regular life in a regular world. I didn't want to be idolized, I didn't want to be pressured into being or doing things that weren't what I'd choose to do with myself or my life, I wanted freedom so I escaped to the muggle world. I bar hopped, club hopped, showed more of my true self than I ever would've shown in the wizarding world. Got scouted for Cornelia's business just as it was starting out, was hired, lived my life like this ever since." He shrugged a little. "It isn't what I'd pictured my life being either, but I'm happy, and that's more than I'd be if I'd stayed. What about you? What brought you here?"

Draco shrugged. "Same as you, I guess, although in my case it would've been being cursed in the street or falsely accused of crimes and just general social rejection. I couldn't bring a child into that even if I wanted too, which I didn't. My parents both left straight after the war, leaving me the manor and my fair share of the money and investments. I sealed my accounts from ministry access, gave the house elves permissiom to take any money they needed to maintain the property and left. There was nobody left to miss me so I just dropped off the grid, so to speak. I did the same as you, club hopping and all of that. Was scouted at some hotel bar in London. It had a funny name. Retz. Ritz maybe. It was my last shot at being accepted somewhere so I took it." He looked up, and realized that they'd long since left the woods and were now stood in front of another large building.

"This is where we stay, 'Cornelia's boys and girls'… all of us making up a little family of our own, in a way." Harry grinned, squeezing Draco's shoulder as he stared at it. "Welcome home, Draco."

* * *

_I know, I know. Another new one. I really shouldn't, but I couldn't resist. I hope you enjoy~ This'll probably be the first proper Drarry I do, I have the whole thing planned out, and I am going to finish it. Feed the starving authors!_


	2. Chapter 2

Draco stared at the building in awe. It was a scaled down version of the main house. Everything down to the smallest details had been halved and hidden away in the woods.

"Wow." He breathed. "It's just like -"

"Magic? I know. I did a little research. An old Pureblood family that died out due to some kind of genetic illness built the house. Penrose, I think they were called. Anyway, the main house was for the elders, and this was given to the children when they were first married before finding a new house to move into. Kind of sweet, really, wanting to keep them close until they truly had to leave. Anyway, it's ours now. It's modern inside, so don't worry about living in a museum styled house again. Cornelia's decked it out with all the latest muggle technology." He tugged a little on Draco's elbow. "Come on, I'll show you to your room."

They walked up the gravel drive, even that was the same, and Harry began explaining the living conditions. "There are 20 of us at the moment, 10 girls and 10 boys including you, all ranging between the ages of 18 and 35. Cally's the youngest and Damien's the oldest. We all think they're hooking up in secret but it can't be proved and no one want's to question him in case he goes mental and attacks one of us. He's fiercely protective of her, which makes us think it's all the more likely. So, there's you, me, Damien, Richard, Kieran, Daniel, Sam, James, Danny and Ezra, and we all have the left side of the house bedroom wise. And Cally, Hailey, Kira, Elizabeth, Molly, AJ, Chloe, Emma, Rachael and Zoey have the right side." He glanced across at Draco, whose brow was furrowed in concentration. "Don't worry, Draco, you'll pick it up eventually. I thought I'd never be able to remember all the names. Just think of it as remembering a group of people from your house back at school, that's how I do it. Anyway, we each get a room on the second floor, bedroom and en suite, which we're free to decorate as we choose, but that's also where we take clients unless they have a preference, then we're taken to one of the rooms of the third floor designed for people with kinks etcetera. Social-"

"Wait wait wait, kinks? Like bondage and stuff?" Draco asked, pitch rising a little.

"Don't worry, they can't make you do anything you don't want to. I have to ask you all of this after I've got you settled into your room, what you'll be fine doing and what's a bit too much for you. Bondage being one of them."

Draco nodded, breathing a sigh of relief. "Social?"

"Social stuff is done a lot like school. One common room type area, a group kitchen and one big library; that sort of stuff. I'll give you a tour after you get your room." Suddenly, Harry was opening the front door of the house they'd apparently reached already. "Guys, I'm back! And I've got the new recruit!" He yelled, shucking his shoes and chucking them into a rack, and hanging his coat up. There was a thunder of footsteps as people, apparently, rushed down from various places in the house. "Just stick your coat and shoes with mine." Harry grinned, and Draco complied, hanging his coat and crouching to un-lace his shoes. By the time he'd stood again, he was being faced by a group of 10 people, all staring at him with a mixture of interest and excitement. "Guys, this is Draco. Draco, this is half the group. We'll do proper introductions later."

Draco nodded to them all, a small smile on his face.

"Christ alive, please tell me he's straight?" One of the girls asked, she looked to be about 19, looking at Harry with puppy dog eyes. "We're severely lacking in beautiful men that like vagina to socialize with, Harry. You don't know what it's like."

"Please tell me it's the opposite." An older looking man, maybe 27, chipped in. "He's delicious." He grinned at Draco, all twinkling teeth and shining eyes. He felt like a piece of meat.

"Sorry AJ, bats for my team." Harry grinned, slinging an arm around Draco's shoulder, making the other man jump in shock. "And please remember he's human as well as new here, so no taking advantage. Sam." The guy who'd called him delicious had the decency to look slightly ashamed. "I'm going to get him roomed and he'll be down for dinner. Are the others cooking?"

"Yeah. Roast Dinner today. Can't wait to get that Yorkshire pudding in me." One of the girls, Cally, Draco guessed, bounced excitedly in the middle of the group.

Harry chuckled, ruffling her short hair as he passed. "I bet you can't. See you guys later, then."

There was a chorus of 'Bye Harry! Bye Draco!' as they walked upstairs, followed by excited chatter as they disappeared into one of the various rooms on the ground floor.

"They're like a group of little kids." Draco murmured, glancing behind him before speaking.

"Well they're all damaged on some level, what do you think compelled them to accept the scouts offer in the first place? There's always some underlying damage if you're willing to sell yourself. Look at us. Orphan boy hero gone AWOL and the youngest member of a homicidal maniac's entourage. We've all got our fair share of damage here. This is how we've decided to deal with it." Harry smiled sadly. "I'll tell you now that no one here intended to do so. Anyway, this is your room. It's opposite mine, and it'll stay that way until the end of your training period, just so you've got easy access to someone you know if you need help or advice. After that period finishes, you can move rooms if you want to."

"Did all the others you've trained choose to move?"

"They never got the option to stay."

Draco looked up at him in surprise, but Harry was busy fishing a key out of his pocket. "Here." He turned to Draco, a slight flush on his cheeks, and handed him the key. "It's the only copy in the house. The second belongs to Cornelia, but she rarely comes down here anyway. Cleaning and such is all down to you, we only get help with stuff like the kitchen and social rooms, and even then we keep those in pretty good condition ourselves." Harry stared at him expectantly, and Draco stared back blankly. "Well, aren't you going to open it?" Draco flushed, turning and fumbling with the lock, ignoring the light chuckle coming from the man behind him. He eventually pushed the door open, and stared. It was huge. A large double bed sat opposite him, positioned between two large windows with a stunning view of the grounds. The furniture was made of a dark wood, contrasting with the cream walls and the pale wood flooring, which shouldn't have worked, really, but it did. To the left there was a door to what Draco assumed was the en suite bathroom, and on the right there was a large television hanging above a fireplace.

"Holy shit." Draco managed, "It's incredible." He took a few cautious steps in, staring around the place in awe. He glanced at the bed, an idea ticking over in his head. He dropped the bag and launched himself, bouncing slightly, a winded laugh forced out of his chest. The mattress was perfect, not too stiff but not too soft meaning that he sank a little as he settled. "Incredible." He managed to say as he propped himself up on his elbows, grinning at the man leaning casually in his doorway, staring at him in shock and amusement. "Can I see yours?"

Harry blinked at him. "My what?"

"Your room, stupid."

"Oh. Oh! Of course." He turned quickly, crossing the corridor in a single step and unlocking the door and peering behind it. He turned back, face flushed. "Just… give me a few minutes, yeah?" He asked, before disappearing inside and shutting the door behind him.

Draco laughed, standing and grabbing his back, emptying it onto the bed. Everything had been methodically packed and minimized, before being labeled appropriately. He slid his wand out from his sleeve, spelling the door shut and maximizing everything. He had a suitcase of clothing, a box of books, a bag of toiletries, bed sheets, towels, personal belongings and his own furniture and decorations. He decided that, if anyone asked, he had a few things placed here prior to his arrival.

By the time Harry knocked on his door, Draco had unpacked, stashed the container bag under his bed, and changed into something much less formal. He gave the room a quick scan before opening the door, ensuring that everything was in its proper place.

"Sorry, needed to do a quick… tidy up…" Harry stared at the room in awe. "Wow, Draco, this place looks great! Can I have a look?"

"Sure. Yeah. Come in." Draco opened the door properly, stepping back to let Harry pass. He seemed to gravitate towards the windowsill immediately, picking up various photos and small mementos such as his prefects badge and souvenirs from the world cup.

"You kept this?" Potter asked, laughing as he held up the badge they'd mass-produced for the Tri Wizard Tournament. The pin was rusting, and a few of the images were a little bit distorted, but it still worked relatively well. Still served its purpose.

"Yes, of course! That was my first major business venture. I made a mint off of those badges, all the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs bought them."

Harry laughed again, shaking his head and putting it back down carefully. "You might have to put a disillusionment charm on a few of these things in case any of the others visit and want to know how your photographs are moving, but apart from that this places looks fantastic." Draco flushed a little. "Do you want to see mine now?"

"Sure." Draco grinned, casting the quick charm, and following Harry out of the room, shutting and locking the door behind him before pocketing the key.

Harry opened the door, pushing it open and gesturing for Draco to enter ahead of him. The first thing Draco noticed was the color of the walls. They were a pale blue, almost silver, and they caught the light beautifully; they very nearly shone in direct sunlight.

"Wow. It's beautiful, Harry." He said, staring around the room. The color scheme, it seemed, was silver. Instead of hard wood flooring, Harry had opted for thick grey carpet that bare feet would sink into delectably. The decorations on the walls were pictures of arctic tundra's and thick grey storms, silver wall hangings and – "Is that a silver snitch?" Draco asked, pointing to the object hanging in front of the window, suspended by such a thin thread that one might even think it was flying.

"Oh, yeah. Dumbledore left me it in his will, and after the war it changed from gold to silver. Nobody can tell me why, God knows I asked enough people about it."

Draco walked over to it, eyes narrowing as he examined it. "How strange…" He ran his fingertips over it gently, tracing the ridges lightly… and a trail of gold was left in their wake. He snatched his hand back, eyes widening.

"What? What is it?" Harry asked, quickly joining him.

"Nothing. Electric shock. Static electricity. Did you keep anything else? From the Magical side?"

"Just photos really. Nothing else mattered much, when I looked back at it all." He gestured to the bedside table, where a collection of frames huddled together. Draco could identify a few from where he stood. "Group photo of you and the Weasley's, The Golden Trio, various school photographs and…" He walked over then, picking up a frame and sitting on Harry's bed. "I don't know who these two are. You look like the man, same glasses and all… Oh. Shit, I'm sorry. How tactless of me."

"It's fine." Harry sank down next to him. "It was refreshing, really. Everyone else points out the eyes immediately. 'Harry you have your mothers eyes' every fucking time like I've never heard it before. It's quite repetitive, really." He took the frame from Draco, hands brushing lightly. "They keep me up at night though. Not a day goes by when I think how disappointed they must be in me."

"Harry, you saved the world, you lost them before you know what you had to miss, you died and came back and before that your life was nearly taken from you countless times. I think you're entitled to a life of your own at some point, and they won't be disappointed in you because of that. No one could be disappointed in you." Draco's hands suddenly became very interesting when he realized what he'd just said, and just how _passionate_ it had sounded. "I can smell food. I think the dinners done."

"Looks like it. Best head down then. They'll all be dying to interrogate you during the meal."

"Brilliant." Draco ran a hand through his hair. "Harry, what do I tell them?"

"What d'you mean?" He asked, placing the photo back in its place, the couple smiling up at him.

"I mean cover story wise, like if they asked what I did for a living before this or something?"

"You tell the truth. You went to school, made a shit load of mistakes and ran away, bar hopped your way through London, got scouted and came here to start over. You tell them everything that really happened, minus the magical factors. Say you were sucked into a cult or something like that when explaining the Voldemort thing, if it even comes up. The girls will probably ask how you're sure you're not straight, the blokes about… well, it depends on which bloke I suppose. They might not even ask you about your significant past at all, just about you. To be honest, that's all that matters now you're here." Harry smiled sadly then. "Nobody dwells on the past in this house."

Draco nodded, following Harry silently down the stairs, following the smell of Sunday Roast and the sound of chatter and laughter.

"Hey, Draco." He turned a little, and way quickly pulled into a hug. His eyes widened and his body stiffened, fists clenching and unclenching, unsure what to do. "Thank you." Harry's breath fanned over his ear, and Draco felt a small tremor run up his spine. "For what you said about my parents." He relaxed a little. Gratitude. This was just gratitude. Harry would've done this to anyone who said nice things to him about his parents. "It meant a lot. Really." He released him, and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"You're welcome." Draco cleared his throat. "Shall we?" He gestured to the door, and Harry nodded, sliding past him and opening the kitchen door, dragging Draco with him. "Hey guys. You started eating yet?"

"Nope, not yet Harry. Ah! Finally, I get to see the fresh meat." An older man grinned from the stove, where trays upon trays of freshly cooked goods were being extracted. "Nice to meet you, Draco. All the girls won't shut up about you and your good looks, even the ones that don't like men. That's quite an impression you've made."

"I try." He said, grinning. "Damien?"

"That's me. I'd shake your hand, introduce myself properly, but I'm a bit busy right now. Proper introductions can be done over dinner. Luckily we made enough for 30 people. Someone failed to inform us of when you'd be joining us."

Harry held his hands up, "Hey, don't blame me. Cornelia brought him in after the first meeting. And from what I can tell it only lasted about 5 minutes."

That got a reaction; everybody stilled and looked over in surprise. "You're shitting me."

Harry shook his head, and Draco looked at him in confusion. "Is that bad?"

"Bad? Mate, that's bloody unheard of. Everybody got at least 4, 2 hour meetings spread out over a period of about 2 weeks." The man setting the table chimed in.

"Yeah. Nobody in the history of this place has ever been hired that quickly. Apart from Harry, maybe, but he was one of the first blokes here so she wasn't as picky back then, no offence." A tall blonde girl said, winking at Harry.

"None taken, Chlo. Just don't expect me to fix your telly next time it conks out on you."

She pouted, but grinned wickedly, eyes flitting between him and Draco, noting the close proximity and easy familiarity. "That's fine, just don't expect me to give you a hand next time you need it."

"That would hold some stead if Draco didn't already know I was about as interested in girls in a sexual manner as Damien is in me." That got a laugh out of the group, and a potato thrown at his head by Chloe. "D'you need a hand?" Harry asked Damien, and was promptly told to fuck off and watch where his hands went, grinning all the while. "C'mon, take a seat. New people don't help with the first meal; it's the only pampering time they get. Tomorrow, you'll be treated like a grunt in the army, being laden down with all the laborious tasks that we can think of." Harry grinned wickedly as Draco sat beside him, staring around the kitchen.

"It's like something off of a TV program." He said, completely ignoring everything Harry had said to him. "How does she afford all of this?"

"She's an heiress. Got billions from her parents. Her father was the CEO of some big banking corporation, and her mother was an American whose family ruled the Texan oil industry. She might be the richest woman in Britain, but we can't be sure. Anyway, that's how she does it, and how she brings the clients in. She knows everybody whose everybody, and if she doesn't know you, she can get to know you like that." The girl snapped her fingers for emphasis. "We thought she was shagging Harry when we first arrived, me and Hailey that is. I'm Kira, by the way." She gestured to the tanned girl, fishing a few wine bottles out of the wall rack. "She's my cousin. But yeah, she loves the man, treats her like he's the son she's never head. Pretty sure she was disappointed when she found out he likes cock. But he makes a mint, and that keeps her happy."

"Yeah. He's the most in demand one here. You're being taught by the master, Draco." Hailey said, grinning. "Word is the clients can't move for at least an hour after Harry's done with them. Some say he can suck your soul straight out of your-"

"Right then! Shall we eat?" Harry said loudly, flushing bright red and looking anywhere but at the people in front of him.

Hailey smirked evilly as she took her seat, and soon the babble died down and everybody joined hands.

"What's going on?" Draco whispered, as Harry grabbed his hand, and Zoey took his other, smiling kindly at him.

"We always say a prayer for the new people when they come. Good luck and stuff." Harry muttered.

"Lord, help Draco's time here be fruitful. May he receive many a night of pleasure, and may Harry bestow his best sexual tips upon him, thereby helping him reach such a level of prowess as himself. Amen."

Harry and Draco flushed, everyone else laughed, and the dinner was served.

* * *

Can I get at least 5 reviews on this chapter please? All i'm getting is favourites and follows, which i'm not complaining about in the slightest, but even if it's just a 'stop this now it's terrible' or 'i'm really enjoying it!', they're much appreciated. c:


	3. Chapter 3

It was nowhere near as bad as Draco had thought it would be, dining with Harry and his band of sex-oriented misfits. He had been prepared for something similar to what the inquisitorial squad had been like, pounding questions into a person like bullets and waiting for them to bleed the answers out. Instead it'd been a few questions, and then just idle chit-chat…

"So, Draco, where're you from?" Sam asked, grinning across the table at him. Honestly he looked like a shark, slanted eyes and slicked back hair. Sharp teeth glinting like slithers of marble under the halogen bulbs.

"Wiltshire. The countryside."

"Village? Farm?..." Draco bristled, Malfoy pride flaring.

"More like the main house here actually." He winced at his pompous tone.

Sam nodded. "That's nice."

"It was. My parents left it to the housekeepers to look after and moved abroad after some… less than admirable choices were made and forced their hand. I got to stay behind and make a living in whatever ways I could find." His voice was bitter as he cut his food, eyebrows furrowing slightly.

"That's gotta be tough, losing your parents but not really losing them at the same time." Chloe hummed in agreement as AJ spoke.

Draco shrugged. "They're still there when I need them. I can send them letters whenever I want and I could always visit them. My fathers a very proud man, wouldn't ever come back and admit what he did was wrong. And my mother… My mother loves him too much to ever leave him."

"What did they do?" Kira asked, cocking her head. "If you don't mind me asking, of course."

"In my… community, there was a disagreement. Some might even call it a war. Sides were taken and underhanded things were done, my parents were on the wrong side, and had done such terrible things that they fled in fear of imprisonment or having the same things done to them." He rubbed at his forearm absentmindedly, the mark sneering up at him through the sleeve of his shirt, coiling tightly and squeezing as a reminder that it'd always be there.

Some of the people looked confused, others like they understood perfectly, and Harry… Harry was impassive, staring at the table with determination, the likes of which Draco had only ever seen before on the Quidditch pitch.

"I'm assuming you went to private school then." Sam stated rather than asked, there was something in his stare that told Draco he was looking for something else. It unnerved him. The bloke as a whole unnerved him. He shifted in his seat.

"Yeah. Boarding school in Scotland."

Damien gave a low whistle. "You really lived the highlife as a kid, huh?"

He shrugged. "In some ways. School didn't fall into that category. It was a private school, but it was still open to everybody... It's complicated. They selected the students themselves. Hand picked them all and literally everybody had a shot at getting in, just some didn't make the cut or meet their expectations of the individual. They'd observe the person from birth to see whether they would get an offer or not. It's crazy when I think about it."

"Still sounds pretty fancy to me." Damien chuckled, a low rumble that spread around the room and warmed Draco up. He really was the father figure of the house, putting everybody at ease.

"So after school, what did you do then?"

The smile slipped slightly. "I made the same mistakes as my parents. I took the wrong side in school, argued, fought, and caused shit loads of trouble for this one kid in particular, which I've regretted every day since. I ran away eventually. Before the school year was up. After what came to be the final altercation my parents pulled me out and I finished my education at a partner boarding school abroad while they skipped the country." In the corner of his eye he saw Harry look up in surprise. Nobody knew he'd gone to Durmstrang and finished up there rather than return to Hogwarts for Eighth Year. "The local papers never got wind of it. It was like my family had just dropped off the grid. People thought we'd been kidnapped and killed. Most of them were happy about that… After I got my qualifications I came back to England and got control of my accounts. I bar hopped through London. Got scouted. And here I am."

There was a wave of murmurs. Draco assumed that not everybody's story included such high amounts of betrayal and anger and lies and border hopping. Damien silenced them all by clearing his throat. "That's quite a story, Draco. A little more… Hell, I don't know. It's something more than what we've had before. Maybe Harry could help you deal with it, his is pretty fucking traumatic too." Damien grinned and Harry smiled back. "But all that matters is this is your clean slate. This is your start over. Here, nobody will judge you. Nobody will chase you away. Nobody will make you feel bad ever again." He lifted his glass. "To Draco."

There was a chorus of "To Draco!"'s, everybody knocked their drink back, and the idle chit-chat resumed. Everybody talking amongst themselves and laughing, and it made Draco smile to see that.

"Well done." Harry murmured, and Draco looked up in surprise. He was smiling softly at him, eyes far away and dreamlike. "That was well handled. A very clever and smooth transition, if you know what I mean."

Draco grinned. "Thank you. And I'm sorry if it dredged up old memories."

Harry shook his head, eyes downcast. Still nostalgic. Still dreamlike. "I… I've lived in the company of this lot for so long that I'd kind of forgotten where I'd come from. Where I'd lived before I'd… lived."

Draco nodded slowly, and grabbed Harry's hand, squeezing it gently for a moment before letting it go again. "But you're living now and you're happy. That's what matters, isn't it?"

Harry grinned then, blinking the mist out of his eyes. "Yeah. It is."

An hour and a half later, Harry and Draco were slowly making their way back to their rooms, pleasantly tipsy and laughing at nothing in particular. They came to a stop outside of their respective doors and stood awkwardly for a minute, looking at each other but not really seeing. Draco was the first to break the silence.

"Thank you." It left his lips before he could stop it, but the lack of clenching in his chest told his slightly befuddled brain that no, he didn't regret saying it.

"What for?" Harry replied. Eyebrows furrowed in earnest, nose scrunched slightly, his face a picture of genuine confusion.

"Making my first day here nice. I appreciate it, Harry. I know it can't have been easy, given our history, but you made me feel _normal_, like I belonged here and I made the right decision. So thank you. Very, very much." Draco didn't know if he was making sense. By this point everything was rose tinted and kind of blurry, and he just wanted to giggle a lot and go to bed.

"You're welcome, then. Now, I think you'd better go to bed, Mister Malfoy. You're looking a little fuzzy around the edges."

Draco snorted a little, head lolling forward as he laughed. "Okay, Mister Potter. I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight."

He turned, fumbling with the lock a little and hearing Harry's laugh at his incompetence. Finally, he managed to get the key in and turn, stumbling a little as the door swung open under his weight. He flashed one last grin at Harry over his shoulder, before shutting the door behind him and leaning back against it, letting himself slip onto the floor. He exhaled slowly and closed his eyes, resting his head against the cool wood. He sat there until he heard the click of Harrys own door closing, and he smiled to himself, hoisting himself up off of the floor and stripping off one item of clothing at a time. As he slipped into the cool sheets of his brand new bed in his brand new home, he smiled to himself. And it was genuine.

Draco stumbled out of his room the next morning with a throbbing behind his eyes, a mouth as dry as Gandhi's flip-flop and sufficiently tousled bed-hair. He squinted at the clock as he entered the kitchen, tugging on the drawstrings of his pyjama trousers to ensure they didn't slip down his hips. 9AM, breakfast time. He started rummaging through the fridge, grabbing eggs and milk and cheese, but paused. Did everybody get up earlier? Later? Did they have a roster of who made meals when? He started putting the ingredients back one by one, but froze at the sound of somebody else entering the kitchen. He leant back, peering around the edge of the large, borderline industrial sized fridge, finding Harry staring at him with a sullen look on his face.

"Draco." He muttered, voice scratchy. "What're you doing up so early?"

Draco blinked back, trying to get rid of the haze that'd seemed to fall across the kitchen. Harry was stood there, clad only in a pair of low riding grey sweat pants. And he looked delicious. His hair was even more tousled than usual, his eyes were hooded due to his half asleep state and God above his skin was divine. Draco would've quite happily eaten his breakfast off of it.

"Draco?"

He blinked again, focus snapping back to the question at hand. "I've always been an early riser. I was going to make myself breakfast."

"What with? You're putting everything back." Harry padded over to him, pulling the fridge open properly. "What were you going to make?"

"Scrambled egg and toast."

Harry moaned then, head tilting back and exposing the long line of his throat. "God that sounds so good."

"I could make you some too. I wasn't sure if there was a deal like with dinner. Certain people cook and certain people tidy and put away."

"Would you? You'd be my hero, Draco. And nope, not for breakfast. Everybody gets up at different times so it's just easier to do your own thing. See I'd still be in bed for at least another hour if it wasn't for your crashing about on the landing. I'm not properly awake yet." He'd disappeared into a larder, and emerged with a small plastic pod. He laughed at Draco's confused stare. "It's got coffee in. You put it in this machine like so…" He opened the lid of a stainless steel device, shutting it again and pressing a button. "And it makes your coffee for you. Saves straining beans and boiling water. D'you want one?"

"Does it make green tea?"

"No."

"Then no thank you."

Harry smiled at him and shook his head slightly, before saying something about getting the paper and walking back upstairs. By the time he'd returned, a stack of muggle newspapers under his arm, Draco'd already served up two generous portions of scrambled egg on toast and was patiently waiting for him, sipping a cup of green tea.

"Why so many papers?" He asked as Harry collapsed opposite him.

"Everybody reads something different. Some read The Guardian, others read The Daily Mail and there are a few that order in ones from their hometown. The little ones just for their area. It baffles me."

"D'you read The Prophet anymore?" Draco asked digging into his meal just as Harry had. He shook his head.

"No point. I'm not there so why do I need to know what's going on. You?"

"Only sometimes. Once every few months, just to see if there've been any major changes."

"Have there been?"

"Kingsley resigned as Minister. They appointed someone named Harris to replace him. Few laws passed about minimum wage for other magical beings. Embezzlement in Gringotts. Olivander moved stores. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes got a few European stores."

Harry pulled a face, "Didn't miss too much then. Saw most of those coming years ago, bar the law and Harris replacing Kingsley."

"You predicted the embezzlement in Gringotts?" Draco stared at him incredulously.

"Never trusted goblins. Sneaky little bastards." Harry muttered, and Draco simply laughed.

* * *

_Bleh I don't like this. The next chapter should be up fairly soon, it was originally going to be made into one with this but then it would've made the chapter far too long. This is sort of a filler/a set up for next time, I suppose. Anywho, thank you for reading and please track and review!_


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